Security Summit Agrees On Action Plan To Rescue Chibok Girls, End Boko Haram Governments of the countries present at the security summit on Nigeria and Boko Haram, in France, have agreed on an action plan to share intelligence and surveillance “in order to find those young girls,” according to French President François Hollande, host of the summit. The summit has led partnering countries “to take stronger measures to eradicate” the terrorist group accused of abducting nearly 300 girls in Nigeria. Cameroon President, Paul Biya said Saturday at the summit, “We’re here to declare war on Boko Haram.” President Goodluck Jonathan had left the country to France on Friday to discuss fresh strategies for dealing with the security threat posed by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in West and Central Africa. This trip is part of President Jonathan’s attempts at securing assistance from the international community to rescue the girls and end the Boko Haram insurgency, with United States,UK,France and Israel already offering a helping hand. Speaking at the Summit, President Hollande had confirmed that the sect is a threat to West and Central Africa and added that the group has links to other militants including al-Qaeda’s North African arm. A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati yesterday said “Britain, United States of America and the European Union will be represented at the talks, which will give special attention to the coordination and intensification of efforts to curtail the destabilizing activities of Boko Haram and neighbouring countries in the wake of the recent abduction of college girls from Chibok, Borno state.” President Jonathan while giving a brief background of the insurgents at the Summit, noted that what “started as a local insurgency in North Eastern Nigeria has now evolved into the new frontier of the global war of terrorism against our civilization, our way of life, and against the many prospects of stability in our region. This is not anymore a challenge to Nigeria alone; it is a threat to each and every one of us in this room”. “This unconventional war has so far claimed over 12,000 lives, with more than 8, 000 persons injured or maimed, not to mention the displacement of thousands of innocent Nigerians” insisting that “we have developed intelligence, which indicates clearly that global terrorist networks are deeply involved in the recent activities of Boko Haram, which has now turned into an integral part of the al-Qaeda network as the West African Branch. “More tellingly, the group runs an international network of training and incubation centres in such places as Gao and Kidal areas of Mali, the Diffa, Maradi and Maina Soro areas of Niger Republic, Maroua and Garoua areas of Republic of Cameroun, the Zango and Ridina quarters in Ndjamena, Chad, the Ranky-Kotsy area of Sudan, and also some cells in the Central African Republic”. President Jonathan also told the gathering that he “had (last year) ordered the release from detention of women and under-aged persons who had been involved with terrorists and also, persons against whom prima facie cases could not be established” “In addition to military operation, our administration has adopted what we have termed “a soft approach” to combatting the insurgency, adding that this includes “short, medium and long-term measures to mitigate the impact on the people and the entire country,” he said. President Jonathan further berated the deluge of misinformation about the whereabouts of the girls and the circumstances of their disappearance. He also said that the federal government has deployed about 20,000 troops to the area, intensified aerial surveillance, and strengthened local intelligence resources. “We shall spare no effort, we shall explore every avenue; we shall turn every stone, to ensure the return of the girls to their families and that the terrorists are defeated” he added. While all the participants at the Paris Summit have reaffirmed their commitment to human rights & protection of girls who are victims of violence, several decisions that will strengthen regional co-operation have also been agreed upon.
Posted on: Sat, 17 May 2014 18:32:22 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015